Lost in the Darkness
by Nyush
Summary: Hermione just wants to start a normal life after the war is over. But seems like there is something she must take care of first... Hemione/Bellatrix
1. Chapter 1

Hello! I'm new here and that's my first story. It's just a sample chapter to see if anyone likes it. If you want me to seriously start writing this shit, send me a review or some shit and i'll get my ass working. otherwise i wont waste my time here and will write depressing songs and then proceed to burn them.:

Nyush

There was a young couple sitting on a stone bench in a dark corner of the Ministry of Magic. The girl had long brown bushy hair, slim figure, and a stupid look on her face, the look that only young people have when they are in love for the first time. The boy's face mirrored the girl's one perfectly. He had short hair the color of a freshly peeled carrot, freckles all over his face and was wearing a robe that looked like it used to be black.

They seemed to be cozily wrapped up in their little bubble of happiness.'What a shame'', professor McGonagall thought,'what a shame I have to walk up there and pierce it. She sighed and walked up to them with a serious face that could bring no good news.

Ron and Hermione were laughing, smiling and cuddling on the bench, and were so busy with each other that they hadn't noticed professor McGonagall standing less than a meter away from their love nest until she coughed a bit. They jumped away from each other, embarrassed about the position they were found in. As their red faces were looking at the floor, as it was the most interesting thing in the whole world, professor smiled and said No need to be ashamed, Ron, Hermione! You are doing the right thing. The war has been won and now is a right time to spend time with those whom we love and cherish. But, she continued with a more serious voice, I'm afraid I've got some news that will complicate our lives a bit. Would you be so kind and follow me? She said while turning, leaving no time for the confused couple to actually answer the question.

The old witch walked very fast and she skillfully avoided everyone in the crowded corridors. Ron and Hermione were not so used to walking in The Ministry and professor had to wait for them once every while. They walked past the courtrooms where they had med, and walked up the giant marble stairway. They've entered the main hall of the ministry, which was even more crowded than the rest of the hallways. They walked past the fountains and Hermione threw in a couple of coins. Ron looked at her with a oh come on, you believe that brings luck?' look, but Hermione shrugged, frowned and proudly said'What! It can't harm anyone, and it's donated to St. Mungo's anyway. Ron smiled and leant in to kiss her cheek. In the process they realized they' ve once again lost the sight of the new Headmistress. There was a crowd all around them and they were feeling kind of lost.

They hurried in a direction they thought was right and noticed her tall gray hat bouncing on the top of her head as she walked. They smiled and ran after her, what turned out to be a very hard job, regarding all the fancily dressed people crowding around them were sending them angry looks.

When they finally caught up with the professor, they were no longer in the spacious hall, they were now in a small corridor. It was still very well lit, but as they continued walking it started becoming darker and darker. The wooden floor had turned into stone one, and with fireplaces becoming rarer and rarer the temperature started to drop. Hermione started to shiver. She was starting to get tired from all this walking and al she wanted was to go back to the Burrow and cuddle with Ron. 'Where is this woman taking us?' she thought angrily. 'I hope it's something important! Doesn't she get that we were living in fear for the last year? I just want some peace and quiet and...

We're here. Mc Gonagall' s voice cut the flow of her thoughts. She looked up. They were now standing in the end of a corridor. The natural light was all gone, the only thing which allowed them to see was a lonely torch, which was burning with a weak flame. Hermione could barely see Ron's face. She wanted to use a Lumos to at least see what kind of door is in front of her, but to her surprise she found out that the spell just wasn't working.

'I see you noticed you can't use spells here' said McGonagall. 'Yes, this place is completely spell proof. We keep our most dangerous prisoners here, in this room, for here, they are nothing more than ordinary muggles. We keep them locked the old, muggle way, with keys and handcuffs. We realized that method would be the most efficient, for now it's only the physical force that counts.

Hermione looked at Ron with scared and surprised eyes. Why are they here? Why must they face those criminals?

''At the moment'', Mc Gonagall continued,'we keep only one prisoner here. I'm sure you know her.''

''Her? Hermione thought'That vicious criminal is a she?''

Ron was just standing there, his mouth opened in surprise. In his world, the war was over and forgotten, and he just couldn't manage to understand that criminals still exist.

''Now'', Mc Gonagall said, what you will see inside this room may shock you, but, it is essential that you two keep calm and quiet, and follow my orders.

Hermione never forgot what happened afterwards. Mc Gonagall unlocked the door, and in a dark circular room, filled with guards, there was a woman. Handcuffed to the stone wall behind her. Kneeling. Bleeding. Hurt and humiliated in every possible way. When the woman lifted her head, Hermione recognized those eyes. Eyes of a woman that scarred her for life. Eyes of a woman who killed so many people. Eyes of a woman whom she thought was long dead.

Kneeling among about a dozen armored men was Bellatrix Black.


	2. Chapter 2

Ron's eyes grew wide with fear. 'Who's that?' He shouted, pointing his finger to the unmoving figure on the floor. 'What the fuck is this shit?' He stood there, in a small fear – filled room, his face showing a weird mixture of pain and disbelief.

'That', McGonagall said in a soft voice, 'is Bellatrix Lestrange, or rather Black, as she wishes to be called now.' McGonagall said, raising one eyebrow. She sighed and looked in the woman's direction.

'What the fuck is she doing here? She can't be alive! Mum killed her, I saw it! I was fucking there!' Ron started screaming. He pushed his girlfriend, who just stood there expressionless, to the side and marched straight to the guards. They all sent question looks to McGonagall. She was frozen at first, she clearly wasn't expecting for the Weasley to react so harsh. Then stretched her arm in font of her and gave one big nod. The guards all got up and made way for Ron. He, still furious, walked on, right past them, to the woman, chained to the stone wall behind her.

'WHAT THE FUCK, BITCH?', he yelled at her. 'WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE ALIVE?'

If Bellatrix heard him, she surely didn't show it. She just keeled there, on the floor, motionless. Her face was turned to the floor and a mane of black curly hair hid her face.

'HEY, BITCH!' Ron continued his rampage. 'I'M FUCKING TALKING TO YOU!' Still. No response whatsoever. Ron was getting madder with every second. He raised his wand, then remembered magic was useless. He then slowly bent down and put his wand on the floor, not letting the prisoner out of his sight. He then jumped forwards and slapped Bellatrix. Hard and straight in the face.

'Ignore me, huh, bitch?' he spat at her. He noticed a rather large piece of wood lying on the floor. 'Well, see if you can ignore this!', he said with a wicked smile. He picked the wooden board up and lifted it high above his head. He then crashed it down onto the woman. And he didn't stop there. He began beating the hell out of the woman. He used the board, fists, knees, everything he got. He was set on a rampage and his only goal was to kill that being in front of him. 'HERE!' Smack. 'SEE!' Smack. 'IF!' Smack. 'YOU!' Smack. 'CAN!' Smack. 'IGNORE!' Smack! 'THIS!'

With every word that came out of his screaming mouth, the beating got harder. But Bellatrix didn't say a word. Not a sound escaped her mouth. 'Is she even conscious?', McGonagall started to ask herself.

But then, the beating stopped. Ron was standing there, panting, his face covered in sweat. Then, the 'corpse' moved. She got back on to her knees, and spat some blood on the floor. Then there came a sound. The most dreadful sound Hermione has ever heard in her live. At first it was just a small chuckle. Then, the dark witch started laughing. She laughed from all her heart. Everyone in the room stood still in horror. Then Bellatrix looked up, right at Ron. Her face was covered in dust, blood and wounds. But that wasn't the scary part. The truly horrifying thing was her expression. She looked at Ron with a look of honest amusement.

'Thank you, Blood Traitor. I haven't had this much fun since McGonagall there ordered her boys to pull my nails out! How's your brother doing? What was his name? Faggy... Fag? Was that it?' She then proceeded to laugh as hard as she would have just said the funniest joke there is.

Ron clenched his right fist. 'WE'LL SEE HOW MUCH YOU'LL FUCKING LAUGH WHEN YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!' he swinged his board back to get enough momentum for the finishing strike.

Then there was a loud 'BANG'. Ron screamed and let go of the board. He fell on the floor, crying in pain, clenching his palms around his right foot.

Hermione stood there, gripping the gun, with so much hate on her face it was almost unrecognizable. She walked up to the corner of the room where Ron and Bellatix were, still carrying a gun with her. One of the guards fell out of the trance and tried to stop her. Hermione calmly pointed the gun to Ron and said: 'You try to stop me, I fucking kill him.' Ron didn't seem to mind the fact that his girlfriend was going to kill him. He was way to busy attending to his newly pierced foot.

The guard backed off and looked at McGonagall, waiting for orders, like a faithful dog. The old witch was standing very still. She looked calm and controlled on the outside but there was a real battlefield inside her mind. What is she supposed to do? She never knew those two are so unreliable. She should have never allowed the boy to go this close. He was way to emotional. And for the girl, what the hell is she doing right now? She couldn't been protecting the dark witch. Maybe she wants to get her own revenge? But we can't stop her now, in this state she could be able to actually kill the boy! McGonagall sighed. No, Hermione is controlled. She must know what she's doing. You trusted her before and it turned out fine. You should trust her now. She opened her eyes and sent the guard a smile and a nod. 'It's okay', she said with her eyes. 'Let's deal with our trust issues later.'

Hermione was walking in Ron's footsteps. Past the guards, closer to Bellatrix. Ron was still there, now he was trying to get his shoe of, to stop the bleeding. He was still screaming pathetically. He didn't notice his girlfriend at first, but then her shadow fell on him.

'Hermione!' He said relieved. 'Help me!' His eyes were watering.

Hermione didn't move. He was just looking at him with a hatred gaze.

' 'mione, what's wrong with you! Help me, for god's sake! What should I do about the wound?'

Hermione looked at him as if she were a pile of shit and said: 'For what it matters to me you can use the hole to put a metal rod in and wear it as a piercing. You'll be special as hell.''

' 'mione, stop fucking around, I'm fucking blee...What the fuck are you holding in your hand?'

'Oh, just a gun I shot you with. No need to thank me.'

'WHA-' he was unable to finish that sentence, for Hermione pointed her wand at him. Some sparks flew in the air and Ron fell on the floor unconscious.

'Impossible!' McGonagall whispered. 'She used magic in here? Silent spell even? No one can do this!'

'Someone take care of the wound.' Hermione peacefully said to the stone wall in front of her. A guard that tried to stop her before now stood up and took Ron in his arms. He moved him to the safer part of the room.

'Now for you' Hermione said, turning to Bellatrix. Voldemort's right hand was sitting there, watching the young witch with amazement. When she realized the young witch can now see her expression she quickly replaced it with an ignorant smirk.

'What are you going to do to me, Muddy? Can't wait!'. She grinned.

Hermione went down knees. Bellatrix and her were now in an exactly the same position. She moved a bit closer. She could see every scar on the older witch's body. They were now looking each other straight in the eye.

'Nothing. I'm going to do nothing at all.' She whispered.

Then she leant in and hugged the astonished Bellatrix.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello, guys! :) Firstly, i'd like top thank all of you for subscribing and shit because I really didn't think I would get accepted so nicely and it's a real change. :) You people here on fanfiction are so cool! ^ ^

Thank you for reading and I would appreciate to get a rewiew from you, a critic maybe, to tell me if i'm doing anything wrong, if you got confused and stuff, because I would really like to get this thing going the right way so if something annoys you, tell me and I won't do it in the future (xept if you say lesbians annoy you). ;) So have a great weekend and shit!

* * *

Nyush

Hermione was sitting quietly on a wooden chair. She seemed to be very interested in the floor, for her eyes were glued to it for the last fifteen minutes. She occasionally pressed her palms to her eyes, roughly rubbing them, as if she wanted to wipe away the sights she's seen.

The chair was standing next to a little table, wich was dressed in a nice white tablecloth, with olive green clovers painted all over it. On all this lovelyness was a cup fulled with rather cold tea. Behind it was a small teapot, which was now being picked up by McGonagall. She poured the last of the brown liquid into her own cup, tilting the teapot almost to vertical to get the last drops out. She then picked up a small spoon, and, even tough she didn't use any shugar or milk, started to mix the tea with it. She stopped and lifted the spoon to her lips. Her face turned from the absent-minded to unpleaseant as she realized the tea has gone cold and bitter, sighed, and placed the spoon back on her little plate, causing it to make a small sound.

Hermione was shivering. McGonagall let out another sigh and stood up. She stretched her arm and touched Hermione's shoulder. The younger witch still didn't raise her head.

'Hermione!' McGonagall said in a caring voice, 'Hermione, your tea is getting cold.'

'I know.' came a mumbel from underneath the brown bushy mess of hair.

'Hermione... Are you all right?' McGonagall said, reaching over the table and placing both of her arms on the other girl's cheeks. 'Please, girl, look up.'

And Hermione did. Her face was blank and her eyes were red. 'From crying?' McGonagall asked herself.

And then Hermione started to talk. She talked fast and she was clumsy with words, stutering every few moments or so.

'McGonagall, p-p-rofessor, I'm so, so, sorry! I have no idea what came over me! I just... When I saw her... And Ron.. I just couldn't watch it any longer. He just went down.. He just fell on the same level she w-was on...And he was so cruel...' Hermione started to cry. 'I couldn't watch it anymore. I just couldn't hold back. He was... A fucking pig!' She stopped, like she was scared of herself cursing. 'Well, that's what I tought he was... He... He was beating her. He would kill her, for christ's sake!' Hermione burried her head in her hands. 'I just couldn't let that happen. We need no more deaths. Can't you see the war's over? Can't we just stop the killing?'

'Hermione... You didn't just shoot him. You went there, in cold blood, and threatned to kill your boyfriend to save a murderer's life!' McGonagall said seriousy.

Hermione's face started to change. Suddenly, she remembered the situation. The stupid lust for power on that fucking face of her fucking boyfriend. How he shat his pants from fear if he saw a picture of any Dark Wizard, but tortured and humiliated Bellatrix when she was locked up and ready to abuse. Guess he felt safe and cozy. What the hell was I thinking? Who did I fall in love with? A cowardly idiot? No, my Ron was a brave and noble man. Huh, now I see just how much a you can be wrong about something.

She wanted to laugh in McGonagall's face and tell her she can have this fucking Ron if she wants to, and that they could probably get along fine. She saw just how good an understnding they had. McGonagall just stood there. She would have let Ron torture Bellatrix for hours if he wanted to. Hermione started to get even more furious. How about starting their own amusement park? They would chain up some dark wizadrs, put them in some torturing devices and claimed that it is moral to do to them what they did to us and let people damage them any way they wanted. They might even want to sell some popcorn with that, or some pancakes for the kids...

She then realised now was not the right time for wicked fantasies and came back to earth. She tried to think clearly and logically.

Now. Let's see. We came there. We were surprised Bellatrix was alive because she is supposed to be dead, Ron started to attack her, he wanted to kill her, and I felt like I need to help her, because I saw something strange and maglnificant in her... Such pride. She was encaged and humiliated, but she was still able to control herself... Such a human being could never be replaced. And he wanted to kill her, I shot at him, then I came up to him, humiliated him a bit and then proceeded to hug Bellatrix. Yeah. That's kind of how it went. Now, let's try to think of a loving story to stop me from getting in prison for almost killing a war hero... To defend Voldemort's most faithfull servant...

After some thinking Hermione slowly said, carefully picking the words:

'Well, professor, it was like this. Ron is my best friend and the boy I love and will probably marry' (she accompanied those words with a dreamy smile and a blush, and hoped it will be enough to fool McGonagall) 'but I have no idea what came over me. I think it was because I have never seen that side of him. When he started to hit Bellatrix I kind of started imagining how it would be like if I made a mistake and he started beating me like this... I-I-I-just couldn't bear it... I think I snapped. I don't even remember much of what happened and what I said afterwards, I think I fell in some sort of a shock!' ,she continued lying. She was now supporting her head with her hands, and some forced tears fell on the tablecloth.

'I understand.' McGonagall said. ' And I beilive you. It's no wonder you are a bit unstable after you've been trough. It's a wonder you aren't greatly mentally damaged after all the darkness you had to fight... It's allright, Hermione. We won't press any charges if that's what you are afraid of.'

'You won't?' Hermione said with a large smile. She then realized she is supposed to be a sad, damaged teenager and started to frown a bit as she politely and sadly said :'Thank you very much, professor, I appreciate that.'

'There is one more thing.' McGonagall said. 'The thing I brought you two here in the first place.

'And that is?'

'Bellatrix. We... The Ministry sort of made a promise to her. In return for some very very important information she's provided us with.'

'Information?' Hermione said, astonished.

'She... basically told us all about the Voldemort's plans for the Hogwarts battle.'


	4. Chapter 4

Guys, thank you so much for giving this so much attention. :) Thank you for your nice rewievs, I have read all of them, and I am so so so sorry for not replying and stuff, but I simply don't have the time. :( I'm studying for my finals bout five hours a day and all. So you can choose – either replies of updates, and i'm sure you'd radher have updates. Still review, tough, especially if i'm doing something wrong. Please, do criticize! I'm a masochist! (:

I know this chaper's a bit short but if I get my studying done I might post another one in the evening.

Cheers!

Nyush

'She told you what?' Hermione barked at McGonagall.

'You see...' McGonagall bent back on her chair, cleared her throat and began: 'Couple months ago The Order got a strange owl message from someone, claiming to be a Death Eater. It was a long one, reminded me of one of your essays, miss Granger.' Hermione sent her a death glare.

'Well, most of the letter were cursewords, insults and Voldemort hymns, and also some details about how he'll torture us after he's cought us. So we tought - why would a Death Eater even send an owl to The Order's headquarters just to get on everyone's nerves? Doesn't he know the risk of getting tracked down?' She paused for a bit, waved her wand to the empty teapot to fill it up again. She then poured herself another cup.

'Man, does that wome like tea.' Hermione tought to herself. She was quite annoyed that the new Headmastress was devoting more time to her drinks than to her.

'After we've studied it for a bit, we realized that he'd given some words extra letters. We took those letters and what it said was: 'Bellatrix Lestrange here. If you get me out of this stinking place, I'll give you some advice. Give the owl a reply letter and then follow it.'

Hermione smirked sarcasticaly. 'You couldn't not put 'stinking' in there, could you, Bellatrix? You had to write at least a half of a page to hide that word in there.'

'So – me, Moody and Lupin went to find out what this was all about. We tought it was a trap, so we' ve had some backup flying behind with invisibility cloaks on. We waited for the night to come and then told the owl to return to the sender. We all got on brooms and followed it. The owl lead us out of London, into some forest that looked like it was forgotten from everyone. We flew over the trees, and suddenly we noticed a cottage. We could see the light trough the windows and tough we were quite high in the air, Moogy said he was quite sure Bellatrix is in the house along with two other men, who he wasn't able to recognize. We were just about to lend, when we heard a scream of joy from downwards. It was Bellatrix's.'

'And then?' Hermione asked unpatiently when McGonagall didn't continue.

'Then there were two flashes of green light. Moody said:' She killed the other two.' She then came running out of the house. We all casted Protegos and made a large shield, but Bellatrix didn't do anything.

She was yelling something but we couldn't hear her. Moody then saw her drop her wand. She was also waving at us to get closer. So we did. Turns out she was waiting for us. She said she knows Voldemort's plan is a failure and that someone is eventually going to kill her or put her into Azkaban. So she very politely,' there was about a tone of sarcasm in this word,' very politely asked us to put her into one of our prisons, and of course not Azkaban, and she'll tell us how and when Voldemort's going to attack Hogwarts.'

'And she did?' Hermione said, still in doubt.

'She did allright. After that we've put her here, in the prison, and casted an Imperious Curse upon one of the Death Eaters. We told him to act like Bellatrix and gave him some Polyjuice Potion with her hair in it and told him to drink it regularly. 'Bellatrix' then fought in the war alongside Voldemort and noone suspected a thing.' McGonagall was staring into the cup in her hand, thinking about what she just said. She sighed.

'What about now?' Hermione asked. 'What are we going to do about her?'

'Well...' McGonagall said, schratching behing her ear. 'I was hoping you would have some proposals.'


	5. Chapter 5

Two updates in one day, huh? Let's do it. :)

And I forgot to fun a spellcheck on the last chapter so sorry for weird misspelhingz and stuff. (: this one is a bit longer and all. Hope you won't get bored. Or used to it, on that accord, cuz I really don't have the guts to write this long every time. Just got to run a spellcheck now. Woah and I overdid it. I mixed up some names because of it. And I don't feel like looking up the mistakes. Weasley and McGonagall will be written strangley somewhere in there. And spellcheck always wants to replace Voldemort with Voltmeter, and it kills me every time. x) (: Cheers!

Nyush

* * *

Ron was starting to gain consciousness. He wasn't sure where he was, all he knew is that he was not alone, and whoever it was with him, was snoring loudly. Ron groaned and rubbed his eyes. When he opened them he recognized the room. 'Why am I at St. Mungo's?' He asked himself in his head. He scanned the room to find the source of the snoring. As hard as he looked, he didn't seem to be able to find it. He then realized the snoring was coming from the hallway.

It was a small room, a nurse could barley pass trough the space left between two beds, one of which was taken by Ron. The other one was empty and it didn't even have sheets on.

There was only one small window in the wall. Ron tried to sit more upright so he could see what was going on outside. Only when he moved, he felt a sharp pain hit his foot. It was so unexpected that Ron let out a loud scream of pain.

The snoring suddenly stopped and it seemed that its owner had been awoken by the yell. Ron heard someone curse, then clumsily get up and run towards his room. The door flew open and a fat man in a white coat barged in.

'Mr. Weasley! You're awake! That's great! You've been out for a couple of hours.' He sent Ron a large smile. 'I'm doctor Budvar. Mind telling me where you'd gotten that beautiful wound of yours? It'll heal and all, don't worry, but none of the doctors had ever seen a hole like that.'

'I have a hole? In my right foot? Well that explains a lot because it hurts like hell!' whined Ron.

'You mean you don't remember getting injured?' asked doctor Budvar.

'N-no, the last thing I think I remembered is following someone somewhere... I'm not sure where, but I think my girlfriend was there as well... Do I have any visitors?' Ron said with a hopeful look on his face.

'Well, no, but no one really knows you're here. The guy that brought you here said you should stay in this room and no one is allowed to know you're here until McGonagall or Miss Hermione Granger comes and tells it's okay for you to go. And he was an auror, so I couldn't really complain...'

'Hermione? She has to say I can go, otherwise I'm stuck here? She's my girlfriend for god's sake! She can't have that much power over me! It's not fair!' Ron started complaining.

'Well, I have some matters to attend to... So, see you in few hours. Try to relax. There are some books under your bed if you're bored.' the doctor said. 'And don't try to hard to remember what happened. That usually doesn't work at all. You'll probably remember while eating porridge or while having a shower. Believe me.' He smiled at Ron's skeptical face. He then turned around and made his way to the door.

Ron exhaled slowly as he let his head fall to the pillows. He tried to relax, but he couldn't let stop trying to remember. 'It's no use.' He realized. 'It's like the whole day is wrapped up in fog.' He sighed and reached under the bed to find a book. He found one and shook it for a while, to get the dust off. 'Hogwarts, the History' read the title. 'Oh, fuck my life.' said Ron.

'Well, professor, I'm not sure what we're supposed to do with her.' Said Hermione around the same time to McGonagall. 'Did you... Did you make a deal with her, or something? What exactly was her part of the deal?

'Well,' McGonagall said, 'the deal was: She gives us information, and we put her in a nice little jail and protect her from any Death Eaters who would want to hunt her fucking ass down.' Hermione was shocked to hear these words come out of the headmistress' mouth. 'Well, I'm just giving you her exact words.' The older woman laughed.

'Well, you are not keeping your part of the promise very well, are you.' Hermione looked at McGonagall with a serious look. 'I think she didn't literally mean what she said, I believe what she wanted is to stay unharmed.'

'Yes, Hermione, I am aware of that. And it was alright until Voldemort was alive. She was too afraid to do anything. She would be kind of polite, she would do what she was told, she really behaved. We were even thinking of giving her a chance to get out of her room once in a while.' She smiled as she saw a surprised look on Hermione's face. 'Yes, she used to have a room. Well, when Voldemort died, she simply took her wand, that we had just returned her the previous week because she was so well behaved, and murdered both of her wardens. She continued her rampage down the whole facility and overall killed around ten people. She then tried to disapparate, but I had been careful enough to put the whole thing under an anti-apparition spell. I did this mainly to protect her, but in the end it protected the whole wizard world. It didn't protect the guards, tough.. They couldn't escape, and to buy herself some time, she just killed them all...' She told Hermione all this in a very calm, reasonable voice, but Hermione felt that she's blaming herself for everything. 'It was just... I thought she's changed... She used to be such a wonderful and intelligent student. She knew everything. She was interested in everything. You sometimes reminded me of her, Miss Granger.' McGonagall cracked a bitter smile. 'But then... After everyone's... After she'd.. Oh, forget it, let's just get to the point.'

'I got there, I surprised her and disarmed her. I then knocked her out and have had her brought here, in this cell. I can't trust her again. She's been spitting fire ever since she'd gotten conscious... We had to chain her to a wall... She managed to escape that, so we put in a guard with her. He managed to insult him into depression and he almost killed himself on the job. We then put in two guards and she made them fight to death... She had almost convinced the next three guards to let her go, because she was really a war hero... Nothing helped to calm her down. We've tried everything. She now has eleven guards who are allowed to physically hurt her if she lets out any sound at all. It was the only way.'

Hermione was listening to McGonagall fully focused, her mouth half open and her mind filled with a mixture of fear, respect and sorrow for the ex Death Eater. 'She managed to convince top wizards that she's just a harmless one... Had she waited another week with her escape, she would have succeeded... It had to be her plan all along...' Run trough Hermione's head.

She thought about it for another while and then said:

'She never intended to be captured for life. She just wanted to hide somewhere until the war was over and then escape... She will always want to break free. And eventually she'll succeed. Unless we put her in a place where she can feel free while being captivated.'

'I suppose that's not Azkaban?' Said McGonagall sarcastically

'I think Azkaban is the last place on earth where we want her. No, I was thinking Hogwarts.'

'Hogwarts? Miss Granger, are you out of your mind? A dangerous, mad criminal, running freely all over the place, with hundreds of innocent children everywhere?'

'I was thinking more like a dangerous, mad criminal locked in the dungeons in the cellar, with a permission to walk in the school garden, yard and Forbidden Forest, with about a thousand wizards to watch over her. Maybe library access?' She added with a smirk. 'I volunteer to escort Miss Lestrange back to Hogwarts. I want to finish my studies anyways. I'll be there to take care of any weird situations, and will take full responsibility for any damage she might do.'

'Please, god, let her let me do this!' Hermione begged in her head. ' I must talk to her. I must get to know her. I know she's a treasure of knowledge. And what a chance to study a really damaged person! Maybe I'll even be able to get close to her. Oh, god, I just want to know where she got all the power from...' Then the images went falling into her head. A cruel smile and a wicked gaze on Bellatrix's face, while she carved those letters into Hermione's arm. Dead Sirius. Dead Dobby. Bellatrix trying to kill Harry. Bellatrix trying to kill her. Bellatrix standing by Voldemort's side. Bellatrix, Bellatrix, Bellatrix...

Her mind made a small click, as she finally connected the murderer to the person she's defended. Person she's just volunteered to watch over. Oh shit. Oh shit. What was wrong with me? I haven't thought this trough at all! O shit, McGonagall, o shit, please, say no! I..I...can't do this...

'Very well then, if you accept full responsibility.' McGonagall said with a cool voice. 'Well, it's gotten quite late. You go now, do go see Mr. Weasel. He should be in St. Muong's, room 102,I believe' At the mention of her boyfriend's name Hermione cooled down. She stopped panicking. Her world was filled with hate once again. 'Yes, poor Ron! Oh my god, I should go and apologize to him, oh my god, will he ever forgive me?' She started crying, hoping it would fool the Headmistress once again. McGonagall stepped closer and hugged her. 'Don't worry, Hermione. He would forgive you, but for your wellbeing I made him drink an Amnesia potion while he was unconscious. He will not remember what happened today at all. You can tell him whatever you want. If you want to tell him the truth it's alright, but I just wanted to give you a chance to pretend this never happened.' Hermione couldn't help but smile a bit evilly, but quickly started to look sad when McGonagall looked at her. 'You know' the older woman said, 'My plan was that we kill Bellatrix' Hermione's heart twitched. She could never let this happen! 'And then we'd all get her erased from our memories... But let's try your plan first. We could still do mine if it fails...'

Hermione swallowed hard. 'Y-y-yes, I guess so. Well, I'll be leaving now. Have to go see Ron!'

They said their goodbyes and Hermione walked out of the room.

McGonagall stood there for a while, thinking. 'You didn't fool me, Granger.' She whispered to the empty room. 'There's something going on here. You might have lost your mind when you shot little Weasley, but how the fuck did you manage to cast a spell in magic-proof room? And why, in your right mind, did you go wrapping your arms around that murderer bitch? And that isn't even the biggest question... I should be asking why the did she hug you back...'


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 and all. Thanks for your lovely reviews. (: I started replying them if you've noticed. x) so be sure to leave some. (:

Cheers!

Nyush

''Ron?'' asked a shy voice.

Ron turned his head and saw a head of bushy brown hair look to the door and smile at him.

''Hermione!'' He smiled at her. He stretched out his arms and she ran into them. ''Ouch, aargh, not so fast!'' he said while laughing at her.

''Oh Ron!'' She looked at him with a concerned look. ''Are you alright? They wouldn't let me come here before, McGonagall wouldn't let me.''

Ron's initial happiness faded a bit. ''Hermione?'' He asked seriously. ''What happened to me? I can't remembered a thing, but I think you were there... Do you know anything at all?''

''You don't remember?'' Hermione said, surprised. ''Not a thing? What's the last thing you remember clearly?''

''Well, going to bed last night... And then waking up here. I think I have some sort of memory of yesterday, but I'm not sure... Might have been only a dream. I think I was with you, following some sort of important person... Is that right?''

Hermione seemed to pause for a moment. At first she seemed to be a loss of words, but then she quickly started talking. Ron noticed that she was a bit nervous as she began:

''Well, we were called in the ministry by McGonagall... We got here, we waited for a bit and then she came. She told us to follow her, and we walked into some spooky part of Secrets department. There she told us about...'' She paused for a moment. '' Bellatrix.''

''What about Bellatrix?'' Ron asked hastily, obviously angered by a mere mentioning the name.

''Well... Turns out Bellatrix switched sides in the war... She helped us win. The plans of the Hogwarts attack... They were leaked by her. The aurors knew about it, too. They gave some Death Eater Polyjuice Potion and all, to act like her...''

''So Bellatrix wasn't the one that wrote that word on your arm? And she didn't kill Dobby and Sirius?'' Ron asked, astonished.

''That was her alright She switched sides _afterwards_.''

Ron sighed. ''Then I still hate her.'' He smiled and gently pushed a braid of Hermione's hair off her face. 'What happened then?' He asked.

'Well, you got sort of mad at her being alive and and all, and went towards her... Then one of the guards wanted to stop you and you didn't want to stop and then he accidentally shot you in the foot by a muggle gun.''

''A gun?'' Ron asked. ''What's that?''

'It's like a muggle wand, but it only shoots out these pieces of metal at high speed. When they hit you, they make quite a lot of damage.''

'I can imagine...'' Ron said sarcastically, remembering how his foot hurt when he woke up.

'Well,' Hermione said, ''then he let you go and you fell on the floor and that's where you hit your head on the stone floor. That's probably why you have amnesia...''

''But my head seems fine'' Ron said. ''No wounds and all. It didn't even hurt when I woke up.''

''You've been getting constant healing spells, didn't you? It's probably healed by now. It wasn't half as bad as your foot.'' Hermione said, thinking. ''I don't know. I'll ask the doctor about that. I'm quite interested in medical spells, actually, I would love to know all about the difference between healing speeds in relation of the parts of the body, especially if we regard the...''

''Hermione, stop it!'' Ron started laughing. ''You've lost me at 'medical.''

''Sorry!'' Hermione said and gave him a small peck on the cheek. She started talking again.''Well then I came running towards you, and I managed to fall and land in front of Bellatrix's feet... She pushed me away and called me a 'Dirty Mudblood'. Then McGonagall came to me and pulled me away. She led me into her cabinet here, and we talked for a while. We decided it would be for the best if we move Bellatrix down to the Hogwarts dungeons.

''But we'll be at Hogwarts too!'' Ron said, scarred.

Hermione smiled at him strangely. Ron never saw her smiling like that before. It sort of gave him the creeps. She then shook her head and her usual smile was back.

''No worries, I'll look after her. I've been given full power over the lunatic. I'm to see her once a day to see if she needs anything.''

''But Hermione! That's dangerous as hell!''

''What's dangerous about visiting an unarmed woman?''

''But' it's Bellatrix!''

''So what?''

''She killed more people than you and me talked to combined!''

''You know that's not true! She was pretty much in the background of everything! She planned the att-''

''That's exactly what I'm talking about! She doesn't even like getting her hands bloody! But she's responsible for hundreds of deaths!''

''But she also saved quite a lot of them by leaking the plans, don't forget that!''

''THEY KILLED MY BROTHER, HERMIONE! AND WHAT ABOUT SIRIUS? HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO FORGIVE HER?''

'' I don't blame her for anything. You are forgetting she was raised for what she is. You or me would be the same if instead of 'VOLDEMORT BAD, DUMBLEDORE GOOD' your parents would tell you 'DUMBLEDORE BAD, VOLDEMORT GOOD' ever since you were a little brat!'' Hermione said in a dangerously low voice.

Ron almost started to scream back at her, but he changed his mind when he saw Hermione's expression. Something there made chills go down his spine.

''Alright.'' He calmed down. ''We'll continue this conversation some other time, okay? I'm tired... I want to sleep a bit. Will you come see me tomorrow?''

''Of course'', Hermione said, placing a soft kiss on his mouth. Ron caught her head in his arms and pulled it closer. He planted tons of kisses all over Hermione's beautiful face, which made her blush and giggle. He then tried to steal a real kiss from her, but she just, playfully jumped away.

''Not now, Ron!'' She smiled naughtily. ''Maybe if you're a good boy and heal fast.''

''Not fair'' he frowned.

''Life's not fair.'' Hermione said before kissing him for the last time before she left. She stood up and went to the door. ''Bye, Ron. Love you!'' She said before turning around.

''I love you too.'' Ron said, waving at her in a child-like way.

Hermione walked trough the door. The smile on her face disappeared the same instance. Ron believed her. That's good. He must never learn what truly happened... That's the only way of keeping Bellatrix safe and sound. And how she wanted her to be safe! She could never let anything happen to Bella. She sort of imagined Bellatrix as a large treasure chest... Chest protected by hungry wolfs, deadly snakes, and poisonous plants, but the value of the knowledge and experiences inside was so high that Hermione didn't mind risking at all. '_I will get close to her... I will make her teach me everything... Even if it takes a thousand years...'_

But Ron was a serious threat. His hate for the Death Eater could make him hill her... That's why he must never, EVER, know the truth...


	7. Chapter 7

Been quite a long time, eh? :) Sorry bout that, I've been studying like mad... well, my finals are almost over, I have the last exam the day after tomorrow, and I won't study anymore. No, sir, I won't. (:

cheers!

Nyush

Hermione was sitting on a sofa in her apartment. She moved here after she came home last year. She just couldn't go back to living with her parents for the summer, she felt like they were looking at here differently since they found out what she's risked during the war. They acted like she was a hero, and didn't let her do anything. They cooked for her, washed the dishes and did pretty much everything around the house. Hermione was annoyed with this up to the point that she once started yelling at her mother when she insisted on cleaning her room for her. She decided that it was for the best if she got her own place. The apartment was not big, just a small muggle one, with old fashioned bathroom and kitchen, small bedroom and living room. But Hermione liked it, mostly because its previous owner seemed to love plants. There were a ton of those and if someone would visit for the first time, he would have tough for sure that he was given the wrong address and that he arrived at a botanical garden instead.

She also bought it because it had a fireplace in the living room. Muggle apartments usually don't, but this building was built at the beginning of the 19th century and it was very fashionable to have fireplaces in living rooms then. Hermione managed to convince the Wizarding world to let her connect it to the Floo network, so she could travel without apparating, which made a too much noise.

So, she was sitting there, sipping wine from a glass, and thinking about all the things that happened to her today. It had become pretty late, so she lit up the fire and watched it burn for a while.

''What a day...'' She whispered to herself. What is she going to do? She was afraid of the confrontation with the eldest Black. She was wondering what might her reaction to the news had been like. Maybe she was amused by the thought some mudblood thinks she can control her... Maybe she was grateful for another chance? '_Well if she is she will probably never show it_...' Hermione tough '_Or maybe, maybe Bellatrix was just as scarred as she was? 'What am I thinking. She could never be scared. She's too proud to be scarred. She's probably calculating her chances of escape from Hogwarts... I hope she won't manage to do that. No, I know she won't be able to do that. Not with all the safety measures. Although... McGonagall took some pretty harsh safety measures and she didn't accomplish much...' _Hermione cracked a bitter smile.

She tried to remember the expression Bellatrix's face when Ron was beating her, only to realize that there was no expression whatsoever there. No signs of pain. No signs of fear.

With a smile on her face Hermione remembered how good it felt when she shot Ron. All the pain that he was cosing was brought back to him with that simple pull of a trigger. She realized what she was thinking, and it made her uncomfortable. 'Am I really that kind of person? No, I'm not. I just gave him what he deserved. And besides, he'll never find out...' That reminded her that she'll have to continue her relationship with him. She sighed with annoyance. 'Alright. I'll do what has to be done. For a few months or so, so he doesn't come even close to connencting our break-up with his loss of memory.'

There was another problem. McGonagall. Hermione wasn't sure if the headmistress fell for her act. Does she really believe that Hermione shot Ron out of panic? She couldn't believe that, could she. Not after all the insults she'd thrown at him, and refusing to help him. And if McGonagall was in fact dumb enough to believe this, one of the guards surely noticed something strange about her randomly hugging the ex-Death Eater. She didn't know exactly why she did it, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. And Bellatrix even hugged her back, she remembered herself. Gratitude, maybe? Or was it just reflex? Well, it doesn't really matter, after the Dark witch realized who she was hugging she pushed her back and called her a 'Fucking Mudblood'. That can't be good.

'Well, at least she didn't bite my head off...' Hermione whispered, somehow amused by the tough

She took another sip of wine and tried to remember the embrace. Bellatrix was so fragile and skinny, she probably hasn't eaten properly for months... '_She can't have a lot of stamina right now, there's no way she can escape from Hogwarts..._' Hermione tough '_At least until she gets her strenght back..._' A small voice in her head reminded her. Hermione swallowed hard and tried not to think about what might happen when the dark witch will be strong and healthy again. She began to panic. 'What if I'm not able do come anywhere near her? What if she tries to escape? McGonagall will surely get her killed... What if she kills someone? How am I going to cope with being responsible for a murder? Are they going to put me in Azkaban?' She realized that she was thinking nonsense now. They would never put her into Azkaban. She had way too much connections in the politics.

'It will be alright.' She calmed herself down. 'I will manage to get to her. I have at least two months until she's recovered enough to even try to do something. I'll have to do my best. I'm going to do it. It's worth it. It's worth every risk. I must get to her essence. I must realize what it is that made her the way she is.'

And for some strange reason she believed that she was able to get the vicious murderer to trust her.

Short chapter? No worries, another is coming up soon, I just decided to end this one here since there's nothing left to say. (: In the next one mcgonagall tells bellatrix who she'll be spending time with. ;) bear with me! We will soon get to sweet sweet lesbian love!


	8. Chapter 8

I know my chapters are kind of too short, no need to review that x) you should review how bad they are and why! ( this one's a bit longer tough. ) cheers,

Nyush

McGonagall was walking towards Bellatrix's cell for the second time that day. Down the hall, up the stairs, past the elevator, trough the door, down the corridor... And she was there. She sighed when she prepared for what might wait for her on the other side of that door. The sight was never pleasant, and she never forgot what the corpses of the guards looked like... And their expressions... She shivered by the thought but then managed to pull herself together. She pushed the door open and stepped inside the magic proof room.

''Good evening, guards!'' She greeted them officially.

''Good evening, ma'am!'' They responded.

Everything seemed fine, but they looked a bit less calm than usual. McGonagall cleared her throat and said: ''Listen now, chaps. Your shift is almost over, and the night guards will be here any moment. When they arrive I do not want any talking. Not a sound. You are to leave this room and wait for me outside. Out there you will remain quiet, you will not talk among yourselves and especially not to any person that might come by. Is that clear?''

''Yes, ma'am.'' They answered. They weren't used to her giving orders like that. She usually talked to them like they were equals. But now they knew that they are in big trouble if they doesn't do exactly as she says.

Now McGonagall turned her attention to the quiet shadow sitting in the dark corner. '_I still have no idea what to think of that woman..._' she thought. '_So talented, so intelligent, so powerful... I hope Granger knows what she's doing. Hope she doesn't kill them like everyone else that thought they can change her..._'

But then a low, arrogant voice interrupted her thinking. ''What's wrong, dear? You just gonna stand there and watch or you want to say something?' McGonagall looked at the face from which those words just came. '_My, she does look terrible._' She realized, watching the wicked grin on a face full of dirt, blood and old scars. '_She used to be so beautiful...'_

The new headmistress now spoke in a calm voice. '' Miss Black, I am here to inform you that you will be transferred to...'' ''NO, NOT AZKABAN, YOU BITCH YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T...'' Bellatrix started to rebel, but McGonagall cut in her sentence: ''No, Miss Black, not Azkaban. Although I want you to know that this is where I would be most happy to see you. No, as I said, we will keep our promise, but this will be your last chance. If you screw this up, you will be sent to Azkaban...' Bellatrix twitched at the mentioning of the name, '…and if you should protest and hurt anyone trying to transport you there, you will be executed. The only reason why we aren't doing any of those things now is that someone has volunteered to watch over you over an undefined period.''

''So where am I going now?'' Bellatrix asked.

''You are going back to Hogwarts.''

''Hogwarts...'' Bellatrix whispered. Then she said : ''Hogwarts, yes, that's nice. I reckon you are going to make me ten years old again, put me into Gryffindor, and raise me in the spirit of bravery and lions and fire... Oh, I can't wait.'

''No, Miss Black, we shall do no such thing. You will be staying in the dungeons, next to the Potions classroom, if you remember where that is. You will be served three meals a day, you will be able to move freely around your cell and if you'll want to, the person looking after you will escort you to the library. But I must warn you that she will have full power over you and if you didn't behave as expected of you, she has every right to kill you.''

''She? Is my warden going to be a little girl? Oh, I'm soooo scarred!'' Bellatrix laughed. ''And who might this brave idiot be?''

''Hermione Granger.''

Bellatrix almost started laughing and making fun of the name, but then she connected it with the person. ''Granger? Wouldn't that be Harry Potter's little girlfriend?'' She said, but not so confident than before.

''No, she is actually Ron Weasley's girlfriend and might I say your memory is not what it's been. You've been hugging her less than two hours ago.''

''I did no such thing!'' Bellatrix protested, angered, ''She fucking attacked me, I pushed her away! I have no interest in touching disgusting mudbloods!''

''To me it looked like you two were rather enjoying each other's company.' Bellatrix was ready to snap back but McGonagall quickly added: '' Well, let's leave that aside. It has no importance whatsoever and you will have plenty of time to clear that up with Granger.''

''She'd better not touch me again, or I'll kill her.'' Bellatrix mumbled.

''Well, I wouldn't recommend that. So, anyway, miss Granger also insisted that we put you into more... comfortable room for the remaining weeks of your stay at the ministry...''

''I DON'T NEED HER CHARITY!'' Bellatrix screamed and sent McGonagall such a poisonous look that she had to take a step back.

''Well you're going to get it anyway. It's your choice if you're going to use it or not. Oh, look, your charity is here.''

The night guards arrived, looking rather confused. They were all holding some packages in her hands. One of the new guards smiled and went to greet his friend from the afternoon shift, only to realize he is being ignored. He scratched his head and watched as a dozen usually friendly and outspoken guys left the room quietly. ''Hey, what's up with them?'' he asked McGonagall.

''Oh, not much, I just had to set a few things straight with them, they'll be fine tomorrow.''

''Ah, alright. What are we to do with all this stuff again?'' pointing at the packages

''You have the manuals, don't you?''

''Yeah, but they are muggle and we don't know how to make those things...'' He said, embarrassed.

''Well, you have all night to figure it out. I'm sure Miss Black will be glad to help.''

''Help with what?'' Said the dark witch, obviously not in the mood for anything, especially helping.

''Well, they'd assemble the bed, chair and the table with magic, but since that's not possible here you'll just have to do it the muggle way.'', McGonagall smiled.

''I get a bed?'' Bellatrix said, astonished.

''Only if you manage to put it together.''

Waved to the guard that was looking at the manual like it was written in Chinese. ''Gimme that, you moron.'' She looked at it and started giving orders. ''You there, open the box number six and take out four planks that...''

McGonagall smiled, as she turned away and left the room. Maybe it was a good idea to keep Bellatrix busy. Maybe Granger actually knows what she is doing. Outside the door twelve very quiet men were waiting for her. ''Now...'' she said, 'It is very important that none of you tell anyone what happened here today.''

''Yes, ma'am.''

''That won't be enough. I will have to erase your memories. But I am forcing noone. If you wish to keep this memory, you will just have to make an Unbreakable Vow with me. Is anyone interested in that?''

Noone was.

''Well, erasing it is then. Will you just step with me out of this no magic zone?''

They were walking towards the light and waiting for McGonagall to tell them to stop. But the command never came. There was just a very quiet 'Obliviate' and the guards stopped and looked at each other funny. 'What now, guys? Aren't you going home?'' McGonagall said with a smile.

'' But I just got here.'' Said one of the guys.

'' Well, think of today as a holiday, then.''

It's been a week since she'd promised McGonagall she would take care of Bellatrix. Hermione was wearing a jogging outfit and was running in the park. She thought that she could gain some stamina just in case that she'll have to chase Bellatrix down some corridor or something. But more she ran, more she realized that she is actually in a good shape and that a forty year old woman who's been standing still for almost a year could never catch up with her. So she ran back to her apartment, took a shower and then remembered that her plants needed some watering. As she was filling up the water bucket she began thinking about the next year at Hogwarts.

Ron and her decided to go back for another year of studies, but Harry decided he would not go back there again. He loved Hogwarts, it was the only place where he ever felt like home, but after the war had ended he knew he couldn't get any peace there at all. ''No, I'm not going back.'' Was his answer to Ron's question about returning. ''Do you have any idea how weirdly people are looking at me now? It was horrible before, but now they look at me like they were with me all along. 'You're a good chap' they say. 'I knew you could do it all along.' Bullshit. It gets on my nerves.' Harry said.

Hermione understood him very well. People were looking at her strangely, and she was just a sidekick. It had to be at least ten times harder for Harry. Ron, of course, was depressed with his best friend leaving for auror training and all, and he was frowning for a couple of days. But then he came around and decided to join Harry in his training after he is done with the N.E.W.T.S.

Suddenly the bell rang and threw her out of her head. She opened the door and there was Ron. He was still bandaged over his foot, but otherwise he looked fine. He smiled at her and hugged her close. He gave her a kiss and then said: ''Look, 'mione, I brought you something!'' He took off his backpack and pulled out a teddy bear in a nurse suit. ''Thank you for taking care of me in the hospital.'' He said as he gave it to her. Hermione blushed a little. She looked at Ron and realized she doesn't hate him anymore. The memory of him beating up a defenseless woman has already faded. ''Do you want to come in?'' She said with a smile.

''Why of course I do, I would love to..err.. see how the flowers are doing.'' He said, blushing.

'He's kind of cute when he's embarrassed..' Hermione thought She closed her eyes. 'Maybe... Maybe I don't have to break up with him. Maybe I can just forgive him what's happened that day. I'm sure he would never hurt me like that and besides, it's not like Bellatrix was actually innocent... He didn't have to beat her that hard, but I can understand it, can't I..?' When she opened her eyes the connection between the violent Ron and sweet caring boyfriend Ron was gone. She could feel that she likes him back already and she asked him if he'd like something to drink.

''Of course'', he said. 'But first, don't you think I was a good boy and healed fast?''

''Yes, I think you were a good boy and healed quickly.'' Hermione laughed.

''So...'' He stepped closer and whispered into her ear. ''What do good boys that heal fast get for award?'

''Anything they want.'' Hermione said and kissed him fully on the lips.

He pulled her into a full embrace. Then he lifted her up and carried her into her small bedroom. As he made love to her, Hermione felt happy and safe, and for the first time in what it seemed ages she didn't worry about a certain dark witch.


	9. Chapter 9

Hermione was running down a dark corridor. She was scared to death. There were shadows chasing her and ghosts throwing bricks and nasty spells at her. She ran, ran, ran, and tried to hide, but to her surprise she found that her feet were glued to the floor. She tried to scream but she couldn't produce a sound. Then she heard laughter. '_That voice..._' she thought '_Where have I heard it befor_e?'

Then there was a bright flash and a bang and before her appeared a figure, laughing madly. Hermione 's eyes widened in fear. That was the same laughter she heard the day she realized what Ron really was like... She tried to scream, only to find out her mouth's been sewed together.

''Hello, Granger'.' The Bellatrix whispered in her ear. ''Ready to have some fun?''

Hermione's eyes snapped open as she woke up. She sat up immediately, panting widely. She realized where she was, and saw Ron's red hair resting on a cushion next to hers. She calmed down immediately and every drop of fear was replaced with admiration and love for the young man.

She smiled to herself. 'What a stupid dream. How silly of me to think that Ron could be a bad man. I mean, just look at him, sleeping like this. Oh, I know! I'm going to go make us some breakfast!' She tough happily. She stood up, stretched her back and put on some clothes. She gently kissed Ron on the cheek. ''Mmm, you smells soo good. I could just eat you up!'' She whispered to him in his sleep. It was really a captivating smell. Every sniff of it filled her with love and joy, and she felt like she couldn't get enough of it. It smelled like some kind of shampoo, mixed with the smell of brand new parchment. '_That's funny_' she tough while giggling. '_Has Ron been studying? That's not like him at all.' _And there was something else. Some kind of a plant? Yes, smelled like freshly cut grass. 'Mmmm, the nicest smells in the whole wide world.' She tough while she was standing up, still smiling with pure happiness. She silently opened the door, careful not to wake her prince up. She closed it behind her in the same way and began walking towards the kitchen.

Then something weird was starting to happen. With every step that she took, she felt less and less in love with Ron, and her memory of the events at the ministry becoming clearer by the second. By the time she reached the kitchen she had to stop and lean on the door frame. She just couldn't understand why she reacted the way she did when he came over. Why did she let him sleep in her bed again? How is it possible that one second she lover him like mad, but another she just want him to go away and never come back? She slowly turned around and started walking back towards the bedroom. Not the whole process seemed to reverse. The closer she got to the bedroom, more she started wondering what was it that Ron did wrong, and why would she want him to leave. She opened the bedroom door, and inhaled the sweet scent of her boyfriend. She could never get enough of it. But then something in her mind started to click.

Parchment? Grass? Why would Ron smell of those things after coming out of the hospital. And the combination seemed somewhat familiar. She just stood there motionless, her mind trying to remember what was going on. Then she moved her arm to her face and pinched her nose. Nothing happened. Just as she was ready to let go, it hit her. All the hate tumbling back in one second.

''I tough so.'' She said quietly. She went to the middle of the bedroom where Ron's clothes were, and picked up his pants. She did a quick search of his pockets and found a little bottle there. 'Amortentia in spray' said the sticker on it. 'Charms your beloved when you can't.'

So that was it. Ron used a love potion to get her in bed? Hermione froze. Was he suspicious? Did he remember anything? She looked at his sleeping figure. No, he couldn't. Not yet at least. He was probably just horny and didn't want to take chances on getting laid. That moron. That... _argh!_

Hermione picked up her wand, ready to give him a big plate of pain for breakfast. But she forgot that she shouldn't let go of her nose. After smelling a couple of breaths of Amortentia she just wanted to cuddle with him and she couldn't remember why she was so mad at him anymore. With inhuman efforts she forced herself to leave the room and go to the kitchen. Once she was safe, she saw that she is still holding the bottle in her hand. ''Well,'' she said to the empty kitchen, ''I'd better make some permanent antidote.''

Ron woke up about two hours after Hermione. At first he couldn't remember where he was, but soon he remembered all about the previous day. How he got out of the hospital, how he went to buy Hermione flowers and then remembered it would be a good idea to get Hermione some aphrodisiac. Just to make her... Relax... He smiled at his own wit. Then he got to the Potions store, and the closest thing to what he wanted was the love potion. And boy, it was the best thing he's ever bought. Hermione's never been this wild before. He grinned, very satisfied with himself.

''Speaking of Hermione, where is she?'' he muttered. He jumped out of the bed, and went to putt his pants on. He reached in the back pocked pocked for the potion bottle, and sprayed another dose onto his neck. 'Let's see what it does to her today...' He tough He decided he won't put his shirt on so Hermione will be attracted to him even more. He opened the bedroom door and went to the kitchen. ''Mmm, something smells nice!'' he said loudly.

''Not as nice as you.'' Hermione said to him, while putting her arms around his neck and kissing him. ''Do you have a new perfume or something? You never smelt like this before. It's nice. I like it.''

Ron blushed. Shit. Was she suspecting something? She shouldn't notice anything strange about the smell... No, if she would notice anything she wouldn't hug him like that.

''Would you like to take a shower?'' Hermione said in a weird voice.

''Errrr... No, let' s just eat, I need to get back to the burrow quickly to... lend Ginny my books and stuff.. . And I promised mum I'd be back too and...'' Ron swallowed hard. Washing the potion off his chest will make quite a difference and Hermione would surely notice that something isn't alright. Maybe he shouldn't have used the potion this morning.

''Poor boy, you have so much to do. You're right. Let's just eat.''

Hermione put some hot toast on the table, together with fried eggs and bacon.

''I made you your favorite breakfast, because I love you sooo sooo sooo much. And only yesterday I realized how much I truly love you. I never want to stop loving you. Ever.''

'Okay, this is starting to get creepy.' Ron tough He finished his meal in record time, said goodbye and wanted to leave.

''Wait, Ronny. You forgot your shirt. You can't go out there looking like that. But you can certainly stay here.'' She put it between her teeth and looked at him seductively.

He just stood there, tentative as hell, but then he just took the shirt out of her mouth and said a quick 'Thanks', followed by a kiss on the cheek. He then left the scene in less than ten seconds. He threw the bottle in the first litter bin he saw and promised himself to never buy one again.

After the door had closed, Hermione sat down and smiled at a picture of her boyfriend.

''Don't mess with me, Ron. You're just plain too stupid for that.'', she whispered to it.

Another week has passed and Hermione was starting to pack stuff she needed for school. She and Ginny went shopping in the Diagon Alley. Ginny was not very keen on the idea that a Death Eater will be staying at Hogwards, but Hermione seemed to calm her down.

'Well..'' Ginny said after they've completed their usual shopping routine, ''I don't think I can carry any more than all this.''

''Well that's not strange, regarding you bought half of the Quality Quiddich Supplies. Why do you need four robes again? And didn't you get a new broom last year?'

''No I did not. And for your information, I train a lot and I don't want to look all dirty and wrinkly while riding a broom. I want to do it like a lady.''

''Ginny Weasley, playing Quiddich like a lady? What, next thing you're going to attend potions classes?''

''I am offended, Hermione!'' Ginny said in fake hurt voice and then started laughing. ''No, actually I bought four because I managed to ruined two beyond repair last year and then I kept obsessing over the last one. So this year I'm buying four!''

''Who could argue with that logic...'' Hermione said sarcastically. Well then, I still have to go somewhere. You go ahead and wait for me in the Leaky Cauldron. I'll be there in ten minutes.''

''Where are you going?''

''Nowhere... Just.. books?''

''Come on, you are not fooling me.'' Ginny said, grinning.

''Okay, if you must know, I have to do some research on the early life of Voldemort, so I'm going to the Knocturn Alley to get some literature.''

Ginny stared at her blankly. ''This is about her, isn't it?''

Hermione said calmly:'' Yes, it is. You know I always like to approach things scientifically. The point of holding Bellatrix captive at Hogwarts for me is getting to know her. Getting to the root of her. Knowing all about what made her the way she is, so we can prevent it from happening again.'' '_And to get her to pass all of her knowledge down to me._' She added in her head.

Ginny sighed. ''I know you're going to do it no matter what ti tell you so just do it. And try staying away from trouble.''

''Oh, you know me, always trouble-free.'' Hermione laughed. ''Now seriously go to the Cauldron and order a large Butterbeer for me. I'll be there before you know it.''

With this words she turned around and walked towards the darker part of the town.


	10. Chapter 10

So I would like to devote this chapter to a friend... An old friend who just... Well... It's just not working out anymore. So I decided it will be for the best if we just say goodbye...

So here I go: Goodbye, Linux Ubuntu _the Lucid Lynx_. You've truly outdone yourself. I fell in love with you just after my brother installed you and Windows on my computer. But now, we can not be together anymore. It's just that... Recently I've been starting to want more than you can ever give me. I mean, you won't even recognize my tablet and I went trough a hell just to link you into my family network... But still... I'm sure going to miss you. Miss our talks... our expeditions out in the Webs... Thousands of hours of porn... If I'm frank, I have no idea how I'm going to get used to minimizing windows on the right again... Or pressing the start button on the bottom of the screen... The noise you make when I turn you on... Think how weird it will be when I won't have to convert Open Office to Windows anymore... Oh, you have no idea how much I love you!

But it's your fault! You fucking went there and deleted Windows on your own! You never even asked! I know I called windows 'stupid', 'annoying' and 'shithead motherfucker damn idiot how is that fuck even possible' in the past, but that was no reason for you to just KILL HIM! It would have saved you, too! You knew I only needed him for work! You knew that I came to you the moment I finished with drawing and designing! I would have done it with you! But you just don't want to! You say you can do it but when it comes to it you just don't detect pen pressure, I'm sorry! Like I said. If you wouldn't delete him without my permission, you would still be here.

I'm going to cry over your virus free, minimum advertisement, low budget ass for so long, but believe me, it's for the best. I hope you find happiness in your... well... wherever dead computer systems go. So now, let us write the very last chapter here, in the comfortable silence of Open Writer...

Yours sincerely,

Nyush

* * *

Ron, Harry and Hermione were standing on the train platform awkwardly. Harry put his hands in his back pockets and looked very uncomfortable. How wouldn't he, when everyone was staring at him? Mothers would point their fingers at him while whispering all sorts of heroic tales about his bravery into their children's ears. Young boys and girls just stood there, mouths and eyes wide open in pure admiration for this man that single handedly defeated the You Know Who. Children were still afraid of saying his name out loud.

Harry was obviously annoyed by all this attention. Hermione looked at him and smiled. ''Come on, Harry. You deserve the praise. You did do some amazing things.''

''They get on my nerves. I didn't do anything. Well, I did risk my life and all, but didn't anyone else? I would be dead if everyone didn't help me. If you or Ron died, I would also be dead right now. Hell, if Neville died, we would all be dead right now. But nooo, of course, I am the greatest, the great Harry Potter. Hope they won't write some stupid fairytale book about me...'' Harry said, frowning.

Hermione smiled and hugged him. ''Oh, come on, they'll soon find something else to brag about.''

She then turned herself to Ron. He was just standing there, looking like a very unhappy dog.

''You alright, Ron?'' She asked him with a pet on the cheek. She didn't care if he was alright, she knew he wasn't and exactly why, because he sent her an owl every day about his blooming friendship with Harry, boo-hew-hoo, I'm so sad, I'm not going to see him until Christmas.

''Yes, I'm fine.'' Said Ron in a dark voice.

Harry sighed. ''Come on, Ron, we talked about this a thousand times. I'll owl you, I'll keep you updated, and I'll come visit you at Hogwarts as often as McGonagall lets me. Alright?''

''But... It's just won't be the same without you... The classes... Who am I going to play hangman with in class? I'm going to die of boredom. And who am I going to break all the school rules with? How can I have any fun without you around? And who...''

Hermione cut in in a very annoyed tone:'' Come on, Ron. How old are you? Eleven? You've survived the second war, and you won't survive one year of serious studies?'' Ron looked embarrassed. ''Well...'' He started but came nowhere because Hermione continued: ''Why did you even decide to go back if you can't focus? You've gotten your O.W.L.S., your education is complete if you want it to be. You decided to go back this year by yourself, no one is forcing you!'' Do you even want to go back?'' She asked him in a soft voice.

Ron was standing there. Harry and Hermione were looking at him, expecting to clear his mind once and for all. ''Well, mum always wanted me to go... And I thought you... With you...''

''HARRY!'' A tall female figure with long red hair came running towards the three and sprang directly into Harry's arms.

''Ginny, stop, I can't breathe!'' Harry laughed.

''I'm going to miss you soooo much and I'll send you lots of letters, and send me lots of letters,'' she said playfully and then added in a voice that was exactly like her mother's: '' and don't even try to think about looking at other women, or I'll hex you.''

''Whoa, whoa, no need for hexing, you know I love you.'' he said and gave her a peck on the lips.

''You see?'' said Hermione, ''She loves him even more than you do and she's making no drama about it. But you?'' She looked at him seriously. ''Tell me, do you want to go to Hogwards just because of your mother and me? Because if you...''

Then the train engine started. There was a loud whistle and a call for all passengers to board immediately. Hermione rushed towards the entrance and Ginny grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him into the same direction. Ron looked kind of confused, but Ginny pulled him in front of her and then pushed him up the stairs, into the crowd of students. She turned around to send Harry one last kiss, but realized he's already been attacked by news reporters and fans, and he didn't see anything past the fleshes of the camera. She sighed and boarded the train.

''Soo... Let's find an empty compartment?'' said Ginny.

''No, sorry, I can't.'' Hermione sighed ''I have to go see McGonnagal immediately. She told me to do so when I met her on the platform before. But you two go on, I'll join you If I'll be able to.'' She turned around and started walking towards the compartment number 59, where McGonagall was supposed to be.

''Come on, Ron, let's go! Jeez, what's wrong with you, can't you walk?'' She heard Ginny say.

Damn it. She almost got rid of him. She could see in his eyes that he wanted to stay, that he would stay. If only she would take the time to start convincing him before... Just a second! Couldn't the engine start just a second later? And Ginny just had to grab his arm! Hermione was sure that he wouldn't board the train if she didn't. She's gotten so angry that she had to stop in the corridor. She kicked the doors of the nearest compartment, scaring second years out of their minds. She watched their terrified little faces for a moment. It was like she is watching herself from five years ago. The year that the train stopped and pure fear came to patrol it. She slowly turned her gaze away from the window and began to think about Bellatrix again. Where is she right now? Has she already been transferred to Hogwarts? Probably...

She listened to the rattling of the train wheels and the sounds of laughter behind the closed doors. She smelled the air, and realized it hasn't changed from the first time she's been there. '_Smells just like a new beginning..._' She slowly began feeling comfortable. '_Hogwarts. I'm going back to Hogwarts_.' she smiled. '_I'm going back, and no Ron is going to stop me from getting what I want.'_

''Miss Granger... Miss Granger!'' a familiar voice called her. ''Where are you going, I thought we said compartment 59.''

Hermione turned around and found the new headmistress sending her a serious look under her glasses.

''Yes, professor, excuse me, I've must have forgotten where I was headed...'' She bit her lip. ''So, what did you...''

''Will you step inside with me?'' McGonagall said and moved her head as a sign for her to hurry up.

''Yes, of course, but wh...'' Hermione had to stop talking, because she was shocked by what she saw in front of her.

There, on the chair by the window, Bellatrix Black was sitting like she owned the train. Heck, she looked like she owned the earth. She was looking trough the window with royal disinterest and if she knew that someone else was in the room with her, she sure didn't show it.

But the biggest shock to Hermione was not Bellatrix herself, but the change from her former form to this. She was bruised and bloody before, but now she looked clean and healthy. She's gained back most of her weight and she was wearing new clothes and shoes, and even a necklace.

'_Well.. What do you know. They actually listened to my demands...'_ Hermione grinned. The dark witch now slowly started to turn her head around. Her hair was now a bush of beautiful black curves, held together by a silver hair pin. Hermione couldn't take her eyes away from her. What a change! Bellatrix was now looking her straight in the eyes. '_Wow! The wounds healed without any scars... Her face is... Beautiful actually... And her eyes..' _Hermione couldn't help but to stare in this person in front of her. She then realized who this body actually belonged to. In all her plans and preparations she pictured Bellatrix the way she saw her that day... And now.. How is she supposed to... This woman... What?

''What, muddy, cat got you tongue?'' A low, arrogant voice said. It took a while for Hermione to realize that the sentence came from the dark red lips she was starring at just a moment ago. She began to feel fear crawling into her brain.

''What, muggles didn't teach you any manners? Close that mouth of yours and sit down. That woman over there wants to say something to us.''

Hermione slowly obeyed but she couldn't take her eyes away from the older woman.

McGonagall looked at Hermione, but she was staring at the Death Eater so intensly she forgot that the former Transfiguration teacher even existed.

''HERMIONE!'' she said out loud to remind her of the fact.

''Ah' I'm sorry, what?'' Hermione said, confused.

McGonagall sent her a strange look and then began:

''I called miss Granger here to exchange a few words with her, if that's alright with you, Miss Black?''

''Do what you want, it's not like I care.'' She said ignorantly, but she couldn't hide a curious look in her eyes.

''Alright, miss Granger. You have volunteered to take care of miss Black. You have also decided that you will take responsibility for all her actions. Is that right?''

_'Just say no. Say no and you won't have to worry about anything. But I want to know...'_ '' Yes.''

''Are you fully aware of what that means?''

''Yes.''

''Now, miss Granger, your duties towards miss Black are simple. She must get enough food, water and she must maintain proper hygiene. If you consider it a good idea, you can allow her to go anywhere she wants, as long as it's on the school grounds and you accompany her. You must check on her every single day to see how she's doing and you will report her progress to me every week.'' McGonagall paused for a moment.

''There is just one more thing. Miss granger, I'm sure you are aware of who you are dealing with. You realize you might be putting your life on the line by doing this. But I am not aware if you realize that you are not alone in this school.'' She looked Hermione in the eyes ''If this woman tries to hurt any of the students, you are to disarm her and call for me. She will immediately be sent to Azkaban, as she knows this is her last last chance.'' Even if the Headmistress way eying her, Hermione knew those words were meant for Bellatrix. But they frightened her too. Azkaban...

''But, if she manages to do any harm, I'm afraid you'll be sent there as well... Because legally, anything she does, you pay for.''

McGonagall sighed. ''Now, miss Granger, go back to your friends and meet me after dinner in my office. And when I say my office I mean my new office, not the Transfiguration one. Alright?''

''Alright'' Hermione said quietly.

What has she gotten herself into?

* * *

Sorry bout the weird letter at the beginning, I get very emotional about my computer.

Anyway – we've got a heatwave here. I've filled my bathtub with icy cold water and go there every half hour to freeze to death, so I don't burn to death in the next half an hour. That reminds me! Gotta go take a bath.

Today I overcooked my milk rice. set the timer at 17.00 but I forgot and I didn't go in the kitchen until 18.00 and then I kinda noticed that the thing is still boiling. Whoops, my bad. I still ate it tough, and it was delicious. Quite mushy, but delicious. (:

I am sure you all enjoyed this very important information. :)


	11. Chapter 11

Gak, me stupid, sorry guys! I obviusly can't tel the difference betwen 1 and 11. ^^'

:3 I'm writing this at 1 in the morning so it might turn out weird. Mmm... Also, could you write me a review? I just want to know if you like it and if you don't like it – well tell me, I might change something. ^^ Cheers, and enjoy your vacation, my love! ^^  
Nyush

* * *

Hermione closed the door behind her. She took a few slow steps and then stopped. The train was shaking and the wheels were squeaking as they were turning and causing the train to speed directly towards the place she was usually so fond of. Hogwarts. Hermione closed her eyes and turned to the wall on her left. She raised both of her palms and placed them on the surface of the wall. It was cold and it felt good, so she leaned her head against it. She breathed out slowly, and the breath fogged up a small part of the wall.

''What have I gotten myself into?'' She asked the wall quietly. It didn't seem to notice that, the steam that condensed on it quickly disappeared. Hermione stood still, breathing slowly, trying to collect her toughs. _Azkaban__. _She... She won't try to do anything, will she? It's her last chance, isn't it? But she's insane! What if she just … runs into the library and kills everyone there? No, she won't have a wand... But it's possible!

Hermione started to fall down to her knees. She heard the wind buzzing against the train, and she heard the stewardess pushing the trolley somewhere in the distance. Someone in the compartment closest to her must have told a joke, because suddenly the whole corridor was filled with dim laughter. '_Everyone is so happy. Everyone is going back for just another happy year...' _Tears started falling down her cheek. '_Everyone except me. This time next year I'll probably be in Azkaban... Chatting with dementors and eating dinner with insane criminals.' _She hugged her head. _'What was wrong with me? Why did I think I would be able to hold this woman back? Just standing in the same room with her got me terrified, and if McGonagall wasn't there, I'd probably fall on my knees and ask her for mercy...'_ Hermione was now quietly crying on the floor. She tried not to make a sound, not to lure out the third graders. She couldn't let them see her in this state. '_I should have just left her there_.' she tought.

Then she remembered the cell. The torture. The inhumanity. Ron. She stopped crying immediately. '_Now stop being such a sissy, Hermione. You know you can do it. You casted a spell in a spell proof room. You can do anything._' She wiped away the tears and stood up. Just as she was trying to get the dust out of her pants she noticed that someone is watching her. She turned around and saw the person she wanted to see the least.

''Well, well, well, look at that. Guess my little mudblood isn't so confident after all.'' Bellatrix smiled with her brand new teeth.

''B-B-Bellatrix, wha-.. what are yo doing here?'' She then realized that Bellatrix wasn't actually allowed to just randomly stroll up and down on a train. ''WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO McGONAGALL?'' She screamed in mortal terror.

''Hush, love, hush, not so loud, you'll wake up the children.'' Bellatrix smiled and winked at her. ''No worries, muddy, I just asked her to go to the bathroom and she let me.'' Bellatrix tugged up her sleeve and looked at her watch. ''I have to be back in exactly 3 minutes so we can't chat for long, isn't that a pity?'' She took three very quick steps towards Hermione and grabbed her by the neck, then pinned her against the wall and took the younger witch's wand from her hands. She pointed it directly into her head. Everything happened so quickly Hermione didn't even have time to start screaming. Bellatrix leaned even closer and whispered into her ear: ''Listen, pet, I have no idea what you are trying to accomplish here. If you're playing some rotten trick on me, I'll make sure you will be sorry for being born.'' She backed off a bit. Her hand fell back down to her hip, so the tip of the wand was now pointing at the floor. ''See, muddy, I could blow up the train right now if I wanted to. I would get away, and you would be sent to prison instead of me.'' She grinned evilly. ''But...'' She continued, ''I won't do that just yet. I want to see what you are going to do with me.'' She then walked past her like noting happened, and disappeared behind the bathroom doors. She let go of Hermione's wand in the process, and the terrified young witch jumped right to it the moment the older witch couldn't be seen anymore, picked it up and ran all the way to the compartment Ron and Ginny were in. Her heart was beating so fast it started to sound like a buzz, and her head was spinning like crazy.

She took a few short breaths to calm herself down. '_Breathe in. Out. In. Out. You're okay. You're okay. You're alive. You're fine._' When she was somewhat calm she started thinking again. _'So.. This was our first meeting. Not what I expected... But she didn't seem hateful... She seemed more... Like she wanted to show me that she's the boss... Well, she kind of succeeded. But she took me by surprise. Next time I'll be ready._'

She then cracked a fake smile, put her hand on the doorknob and pulled the door open. She went talking and laughing with her friends like nothing unusual happened at all.

* * *

Sorry it's kind of short but it's late and I really want to get some sleep. So. Will you please be so kind and review? ^^ Even if it's just a sentence or two. Have a great day (or night, I don't judge)! And tell me something else:

would you rather have it that I continue like that, posting chapters of various lengths on random days, or would you rather have one long chapter (round 3000 words) every... let's say Sunday?

Cheers! :3  
nyush


	12. Chapter 12

Hello! Sorry for the mess I made of last chapter but I'm blond so all is forgiven...? Please? ^^ I'm planning to do another two chapters this week, and I'll try to make them long and interesting, because after this Sunday I'm going to be at the seaside, oooh, by the beautiful sea for 6 days. And we don't even have electricity there, let alone internet. Sooo this chapter is not a very long one, but I'll update soon so don't you be sad. :3

* * *

Hermione was talking to her friends in the great hall. They laughed and joked like the years before, but they all knew a lot has changed. They were all a lot more grown up now, and the wound from the war were still very fresh.

McGonagall stood up an coughed a bit to get everyone's attention. She didn't make much noise but to Hermione's surprise everyone seemed to notice it and the great hall slowly became quiet.

The new headmistress took a deep breath and began with her speech.

''Dear students! Welcome back to Hogwarts! Now – before we begin the sorting ceremony, I'd have to say a few words.

First things first - I'm sure you are all aware of the damage the school has taken during the war, and I would like to thank all the wizards and witches who helped restore it back to its former glory, with special thanks to our staff.''

These words were followed by a loud applause from the students. Hermione looked around and noticed even the Slytherins seemed to appreciate the efforts. She shrugged. '_Huh, guess wars do change people.'_ She then looked at Ron with hidden disgust. _'Well, some people.'_

''And the other thing – due to parents' and teachers' requests the curfew was moved to 8 pm.'' There were a lot of groans of disagreement, many students frowned and crossed their arms. Hermione mused at Ginny who looked like a spoiled child whose lollipop had been taken away.

''Now, there is no need for that.'' McGonagall silenced the hall once again. '' It's a matter of your safety and I suggest you follow the rules, unless you want to spend the rest of your weekends in detention. Now, I know I said the castle is completely renewed, but I must warn you about the cellar. There is one part that we still recognize as dangerous. It's been closed by a magical barrier you will not be able to cross, but I'm warning you anyway because some of you might think it would be nice to act brave and try to break it. Don't. I would also like to remind you that Forbidden Forest is still out of bounds, and that Hogwarts grounds can only be left with my permission.'' McGonagall paused for a minute and thought about something. '' Oh, yes, there's been quite a change in staff due to the recent happenings, so I won't introduce you to new teachers, I'm sure they will be able to handle it themselves.''

The teachers all looked very annoyed because of this, for no one seemed to look forward to introducing himself to at least seven different classes. Hermione was sure she heard some one say something about 'Dumbledure would never do such an outrageous thing' and couldn't help but to chuckle. Guess teachers were even lazier than some students.

''Now then, let's begin the sorting ceremony!''

Hermione listened to the names called, and clapped when someone was sorted to Gryphindor, but her mind was wandering elsewhere. Why didn't she mention Bellatrix? Hermione was sure that the curfew had been changed because of her, and the damage in the cellar... Well, that had to be made up, too. It was just to scare the students away. She hoped that they wouldn't be drawn to that place instead. 'Well, hope that curfew doesn't count for me...' she mused.

''What are you thinking about, Hermione?'' her boyfriend whispered to her. He seemed to be very bored with the ceremony and he hoped Hermione would entertain him.

''Oh, nothing special''she said, ''just looking forward to the classes tomorrow. And you?''

''Well,'' he whispered, ''I really don't like the new curfew, I wanted to take you on a nice walk by the lake at midnight...'' he stared dreamily in the empty space before him. Then an idea popped into his head: ''Hey, we're on good terms with McGonagall, maybe she'll make an exception for us. Well,'' he leaned even closer to her, and lowered his voice 'she'll have to make it for you, I bet all of this rules are made just because of Bellatrix.'' He thought for a second. '' But she hasn't said anything about her, has she? Do you know anything? Where is she even...''

Then the applause got too loud for him to whisper over and he was forced to shut up. The last first year was sorted into the house of Hufflepuff and everyone was eager to start eating.

As if she could read their minds, McGonagall stood up once again and said :''Well then, there's been enough talking. I bet you are all very hungry.'' She clapped her hands twice and a moment after the tables were filled with delicious food. ''Help yourselves! Let us enjoy the dinner.''

While everyone way stuffing food into her mouth, Hermione tried to establish an eye contact with McGonagall. The older witch told her to meet her in her office after dinner, but even now the time was well past seven o'clock, there would be no way for her to make it there before the curfew. Does McGonagall think that she would naturally know that the curfew doesn't concern her? Or did she forget that. _'Maan, I don't want detention the first day I got here!' _she sobbed in her head. She reached forward to grab her paper napkin when she noticed something strange about it.

It was like there was an ink stain in the middle of it. The more she looked at it the more it seemed like it's moving. After a few moments the movement was unmistakable and the spot of black liquid slowly turned into text. ''Miss Granger'' it said, ''I'm sure you realize that you are allowed to stay out of your dorm for as long as you like, so please come to my office even if it will be past eight o'clock.''

'Man...' Hermione thought 'She could have told me that on a train instead of scaring me to death with Azkaban.' She watched as the letters slowly turned back into an ink stain.

'' 'mione, wha z dat?'' Ron said with mouth filled with potato and bacon. He swallowed. '' What are you looking at?'' He asked.

'' Oh, just that stain... it's blue.'' Hermione said absent minded.

Ron looked at her strangely as he shoved another spoonful of potatoes into his face. Hermione sighed and turned to Ginny. She managed to relax and talk with her, and tried to forget about her boyfriend, which was very hard because she was reminded of his existence with every loud chew he made.

Once they've had dessert and McGonagall told the first years who to follow, Hermione excused herself and ran directly towards the principal's office.


	13. Chapter 13

Hello! :)

Um, I'm sorry bout the lack of updates and all but I've just come home yesterday. Sea was nice. (: I relaxed like crazy. I rested so much I had to take a rest from resting because it got too tireing. Anyway, this is just another filler, cuz I just have no time to work on a larger chapter now, got to go drawing, or I wont get accepted into academy. :) and i also didn't spellcheck it cuz i'm feeling like one lazy bitch. sorry. ^^#

cheers!

nyush

* * *

She ran past the crowd of younger wizards, who all threw weird glances at her. They were headed the same way she was, but she was in a much bigger hurry, so she muttered out some 'exuse me – s' and she roughly jostled trough their group. 'How unladylike' she tought and smiled to herself as she ran towards the principal's office.  
She got there in five minutes. 'Phew, that must be the record' she tought while panting. She leaned against the wall and waited for the headmistress. She looked down the corridor where she came from just a moment ago, expecting to see her tall figure coming her way, so it was understandable that she was petrified when she heard a voice say: ''Miss Granger, will you follow me please?''

She turned her head around and only a couple of feet away from her Bellatrix and McGonagall were standing, waiting for her.

''Where... When did you..'' Hermione was stunned.

''There will be time for talkng upstairs.'' The oldest witch said and whispered a word to the statue. It nodded and slowly drifted away, leaving behind a door to a stairway. ''Come on.'' McGonagall said, this time to Bellatrix. ''Move it.'' Bellatrix sent her an annoyed look and then walked up the stairs gracefully . She didn't forget to send Hermione a hatefull look. She swallowed hard. She was once again re-thinking the whole situation, when McGonagall grabbed her by the wrist and pushed her trough the door. ''Come on now,'' She said, ''we really don't want people to see we're here.''

''A-all right...'' Hermione gulped. She followed the dark eater upstairs. It seemed like it went on forever. When she finally reached the door, she was breathing heavily once again. Her gaze imediately searched the room for the dark witch, almost expecting her to stand there with a daggery, ready to spill her blood, but she found her sitting in an comfortable armchair, sipping red wine from a glass like she's been sitting there for hours.

'Where did she get that from?' was the first thing that came to hermione's mind, but then she noticed a table with two more drinks and she went forward to get hers. She picked it up the moment McGonagall joined them and closed the door behind the three.

''So, here we are.'' The Headmistress began. ''I see you've already made yourselves comfortable, miss Black.''

Bellatrix cracked an evil smile and waved a glass from her chair. ''You know me, I feel at home anywhere.''

''Yes, yes, I bet you do...'' McGonagall said absent-mindedly. She walked to Hermione, who handed her the last glass. ''Thank you, miss Granger.'' she said. She then proceeded to sit down next to Bellatrix and waved Hermione to join them.

''So, after we finish this conversation, I'll take you two down to your cell, miss Black. You'll be served dinner and then we'll leave you alone. Is that allright?''

Bellatrix looked at her and said: ''Yes, that will be fine. I'm glad you'll finally leave me alone. I'm getting sick of your company.'' She sent Mcgonagall an arrogant look, expecting her to strike back but the older witch just sighed and stood up.

''Allright...'' she said. ''I'll now escort you to your room.''

''Wait a minute!'' Hermione said quickly. '' Why haven't you told the students Bellatrix is staying here?''

The witch she mentioned sent her a raging look: ''Don't you dare calling me like i'm one of your little friends! You'll call me Miss Black, like e-''

''Quiet now.'' McGonagall's sober voice cut her mid sentence ''You'll have more than enough time to work out your nicknames. Now, miss Granger, I didn't want to spread panic and mostly I didn't want Miss Black to get too much attention. And I must tell you that the parents wouldn't be too eager about their children sharing the school with a murderer...''-Bellatrix smiled proudly- ''so we are doing this in secrecy. Another thing, miss Granger – I advise you not to share miss Black's whereabouts with other students.''

She emptied her glass, walked towards the door and said : ''Now, we've done enough chit-chat. Let's get going now.''


	14. Chapter 14

Hello! Sorry about the long pause. I just didn feel like writing. I'll start to do it more regularly now. I think. Well, let's just get to the writing...

Hermione woke up and looked at the clock. It was still early. Over the past week she got used to waking up early. She was the only one in the bathroom and she used it to examine her face in the mirror. The bruises were concealed perfectly and noone seemed to have noticed them. Hermione sighed. Over this first weak Bellatrix was not all that easy to cope with. She came up with a new way to hurt her on a daily basis.

The first day Hermione's brought her breakfast she managed to perform Legilimency on her while she was distracted with closing the door. She didn't accomplish much, tough, for Hermione closed her mind the second she realised what was going on. Only an image of her parents managed to get trough. Hermione was still scared, tough, she just left the food there and ran away. When she brought her lunch, she started to call her names and threw a fork at her. Over the week Hermione's been yelled at, kicked, humiliated, thrown pishes at, cut a bit and most of all.. desperate.

_What the hell... _She tought, as she went to the kitchen to collect the food. _At least some poor house elve isn't doing this... _She picked up the tray that was waiting for her by the kitchen door. _Let's see. Whea do we have today... Salad, omelette, some bacon and fresh bread... Orange juice and a muffin. Better be prepared, she'll probably use some of these as weapons... She could splash orange juice in my eyes I guess... _She wasn't so scared anymore. She'd gotten used to the routine. At first she was afraid that Bellatrix would try to seriously hurt her, but it seemed like the ex Death Eater didn't mean her any harm. _Well... any real harm._

She descended the stairs to the cellar and headed for the magic barrier. The invisible wall put there was trully a masterwork of spells vowen together. If someone else had come so close to it, he would suddenly remember they have something very important to do in the opposite side of the castle. And if he would somehow remain focused, the touch of the wall would make him Dissapparate directly into his/her own bed. Bellatrix was having lots of fun with it first days. She would open her door, focused enough not to let the wall convince her that she has something else to do, touch it and bam, she was in her bed again. Hermione could not beilive someone that cruel could be so childish.

So the brown haired witch stood before the wall and said her name loudly and clearly. A passage appeared, letting her trough. As she opened the door to Bellatrix's bedroom, she almost dropped the tray. Something red just exploded before her feet._  
_ She noticed Bellatrix was sitting on her chair, looking really bored. In her hand there was something that looked like a... a... a ..Wand? Hermione felt her knees weaken, as she saw that the older witch was preparing to lounch another one of her spells.  
As it flew towards her Hermione dodged it and realised it's not strong magic. It was a bit more than a spark. Then another one came and she failed to dodged it. O_uch, that burns!_

She started to walk towards the table, nearer and nearer to Bellatrix. She noticed that the bed was broken apart and that eldest Black probably used its wood to make an improvised wand.

''You see, this room was an ingredients storage when I went to Hogwarts. And I remembered that my idiot cousin had once managed to spill some unicorn blood on the floor once.'' She raconted to hermione as she continued shooting at her, but she was not really interested in it. It looked more like she was throwing darts out of boredom. '_Very painfull darts'... _Hermione tought while trying to balance the tray on her arm and cast a proper Protego at the same time.

''So, you see, I remembered that was the reason the cabinet was moved... You can't get unicorn blood stench out f the room for years! It's all gone now, tough..'' She smelled the air while Hermione ducked to avoid a sparkly bullet. She's now managed to reach Bellatrix's table and put the food down. Now that she had her hands free, she casted a silent Expelliarmus and Bellatrix's DIY wand went flying into the wall where it smashed into thousands of pieces.

''Oh well..'' Bellatrix said, looking a bit sad, ''nothing lasts forever, I suppose.'' She looked at Hermione. '' What are you still doing here, muddy?''

Hermione's heart was pumping like mad. She was scared but still, she had to at least try to talk to Bellatrix.

''So... H-how did you managed to make it?'' She said. She expected Bellatrix to yell at her and throw her out, but nothing like that happened. The older woman just sat there and examined her.

''Well, muddy, why would you want to know that?''

''Because...'' Hermione hesistated for a bit ''Because I'm interested in you. I mean that. I'm interested in that.''

''You're interested in me? Hmm, I see your point, I am a rather interesting person. Tell you what, Mudblood, I'll tell you since you asked me so politely. But I can't just give away information like that for free...'' She looked at Hermione with a grin.''How about you let me give you a nice hard slap in the face and then I'll tell you all about it.''

''NO! You must not use violence towards me! If I tell McGonnagal about what you've just treathened me with, she'll send you directly to...''

''Listen now...''Bellatrix interrupted, annoyed with her, ''If you'd want to report me to that old hag you'd done it the first time I threw a plate at you. You won't do a thing, dont you lie to me.'' Hermione blushed.'' And besides - I'm not treathening, I'm offering you a deal. I answer you a question, you let mi violate you a bit. It'll keep me entertained, you know, thinking up ways to hurt you. And you also profit. I'll tell you everything you want to know about interesting old me. So how about it?''

Hermione tought about the offer. Well... This isn't going the way I imagined it would... But.. It is something. She is at least...well, kind of talking to me. I can't continue like before... I'll just get in danger and get nothing in return. But with this I could get in a controlled amount of danger and actually get some answers... hmmm...

''Allright.''

''What? Really?'' Bellatrix was a bit surprised.

''Yes, but under one condition. Before you do your part of the deal, you'll need to tell me exactly what you're going to do to me, and I'll have to be okay with it. If you do anything more than you've described, i'll...''

''..tell McGonnagal, yes,yes, only you won't. You wouldn't have told her because she would have me killed. And you don't want me killed, isn't that right, love? But no wories, I'll be fair. I rather like it here. And it's all thanks to you. So let's say I will keep my word out of... gratitude.'' She had to force the last word out. Hermione mused. Bellatrix, gratefull to a Mudblood?

''All right then. My question is: How exactly did you make the wand?''

''That will cost you a hard slap in the face. I will do it using my right hand I have here. I will stetch it like so, gaining momentum and then...'' Bellatrix was slowly explaining to Hermione, whily doing a sharade of what the slap will be like.'' and then 'smack'! Right in the face! I will not enjoy touching your dirty skin, but it will be of great consolence knowing that it will cause you pain. How was that?''

''You don't have to be so precise next time. Just say: I'll slap you in the face really hard.'' Hermione said, trying to sound curageus.

''Allright. Well. Making the wand was easy. Took a bit of wood... Sorrry, would you mind repairing my bed as we speak, Muddy?'' Hermione whispered a spell and the bed reassambled.'' ah, where was I. So, I hollowed it using the knife I nicked from my dinner plate last night and then I scraped the blood off the floor and put itin there. Voila.''

''That was it?'' Hermione said, surprised.

''Yup. It's very strong, the blood, you know. Not filthy like yours.''

''It was so easy? That's not worth a slap in the face!''

Bellatrix stood up and stretched her back. ''Oh, but you know, things are worth exactly what you're prepared to pay for them.''

Then she moved like a cat, and before Hermione knew it, a sharp pain was spreading over the left of her face. It hurt more than any slap she'd gotten before. She stood up, cupping her cheek, still in shock. She stood up and left with no words.

''Have a nice day!'' a cruel and cold voice whispered behind her back.

In time for breakfast Hermione had allready recovered from the shock. She was happily chatting with Ginny about Harry.

''And then and then,'' said Ginny while wawing her fork around, ''and then he hugged me so tightly I couldn't breathe! I mean it!'' The girls were giggling when Ron and his new best pal Colin appeared.

''Good morning, beautiful!'' Ron said, giving her a kiss.

''Morning, Ron!'' Hermione said with a fake smile. She watched as his boyfriend sat down the table and then decided to try to forget that he's there.

''Hey, what's up with you and Ron?'' Ginny whispered in Hermione's ear. ''You behave diferently around him... Is everthing allright?''

''Yes, we're fine, I'll talk about it some other time, allright? Right now I'm starving!''

She grabbed a piece of toast and started thinking about what she's going to say to McGonnagal. Today way supposed to be the first time she updates her on Bellatrix. ''_I can't say i let her slap me, can I? Oh... I'll just say she's ignoring me, that's the most probable thing...''_

She exused herself from the table and went back to her dorm to prepare for the class. As she was hurrying back, trying not to be late for Advanced Potions, she bumped directly into Ron.

''Ron, what are you doing here?''

''Followed you. Wanted to give you a proper kiss.'' He smiled. He leant in but she pushed him away.

''Not now, I'm in a hurry! My class starts in a couple of minutes!''

''Hermione, what's up with you? You don't want to spend time with me anymore! Anytime I see you, you're running somewhere else, meeting someone else.. What about me?'' He sobbed.

Hermione sighed. She hugged him. ''Come on, Ron... Allright, now. Give me your kiss.''

He slovly leant in and pressed his lips against hers, parting them with his toungue. Hermione couldn't beilive she used to like this. She broke the kiss and gave him a smile.

''Sorry, but I have to run!'' She blew him a kiss and sprinted away. When he was out of her sight she stopped and pressed her back against the stone wall. She felt sick.

ok, I'm gay and all these straight scenes are really hard, really hard, really really really hard to stomach... so... blaaaaah...


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